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Alternatives to Buxus hedge?

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  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,034

    The Holly can be kept to 2 foot which is 60cm. 30cm is quite tiny, even my dwarf lavender is taller than that. Perhaps Sam's veg garden should be edged with herbs like thyme or summer bedding that is edible and pretty like French Marigolds, Calendula or Nasturtiums that can be sown from seed each year.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    The smaller leaved ones tend to be a bit hardier BL. Biggest problem up here is wet, so if they get adequate drainage and a sheltered position, most of those do ok. We tend to get overall very low temps right through winter (between zero and three/four degrees) rather than spells of very hard frost.

    I'd agree though - a spell of minus five or below for more than a few days can be dicey - for the bigger leaved varieties especially  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,034

    Dordogne must be colder than Scotland in winter, except this winter, so far. It can be regularly -7 to -10 some years. My small leaved ones died too.image

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Hey, 60-100cm holly is what I'm after I think! Thanks all image
  • Hollies make lovely hedges, but do please bear in mind that they also drop leaves regularly throughout the year which (depending on variety) are very prickly. Not nice when hand weeding the veg plot. Prickle free hollies are available.

    All the best.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,034

    Ilex Crenata, that I mentioned above isn't prickly, it's leaves are a bit like box.

    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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